Page 127 of Swim To Me

“Did you read the article?”

“I did indeed, son.”

“I want to release a statement against it.”

“That we can do.” Stu makes it sound so easy. “Do you want me to write something up or—”

“Can you grab a pen and some paper and write up what I say?”

“Give me two seconds. I just need to find a pen.”

I hear the shuffle of feet, the opening and closing of a drawer, then the light scratch of a pen to check and see if it has any ink left inside the cartridge.

“Okay, ready when you are, Grey.”

“Delilah and I have been dating, exclusively, since the beginning of summer,” I say, not even trying to polish up my words. A PR representative on my manager’s team will edit it forme before it gets published in the press in the next coming days, so I simply let the truth flow from my tongue.

“Delilah’s background, in both her publishing career and her previous relationships, havenothingto do withourprivate romantic relationship. I won’t stand by and allow those false accusations to be published against her. She has never asked once to be put into the public eye, let alone scrutinized beneath it, just because she is in a relationship with me.”

“Mhmm…” Stu hums his agreement along the line. “Anything else?”

“There has never been another woman in the picture between Delilah and I. The young blonde woman I took a picture with was simply a fan, who I treated with nothing but respect and kindness when she asked for a photo together.

“Both Delilah and I ask for privacy regarding our relationship and ask that our wishes are respected at this time. Thank you.”

“I’ve got that all down.” Stu’s sigh crackles through the phone. “You know how these things go, Grey. But I’m sorry we’re in this situation once again; having to make a statement so we can clear your name. I’ll get this emailed over to the PR team and they should get in touch with the press and have the statement released most likely on Monday morning.”

“Monday?” I ask, slouching back into the soft sofa cushions. All of my fight seems to have drained out of me, now I’ve taken action and gotten exactly what I want to say out of my system. I have no doubt the anger will be back soon, combined with another surge of adrenaline, but in this very moment I feel limp and tired. “Isn’t there any way you can get it out any quicker?”

“I’m afraid not, son. Most of the journalists will be out of the office until Monday unless it’s breaking news or an emergency. Monday morning will be the earliest we can push the statement out.”

“Okay.” I scrub at the back of my neck. “Monday, it is.”

A click of the front door behind me has me turning sharply.

Delilah.

I watch her walk towards me, tugging at her left earring, her face a tad paler than usual, eyes red. My eyes flick across the rest of her. She’s still dressed in the work attire she must have put on this morning while I was still fast asleep – a blouse and a pair of black slacks.

“Stu?” I say, while Delilah sits down beside me, indenting the sofa, pressing her thigh against mine. “I have to go. I’ll call you on Monday.”

“Okay, son. Don’t you worry, we’ll get this all blown over for you and then we can talk about you maybe bringing your Delilah over for dinner? The wife and I would love to—”

Delilah strokes her fingertips down my forearm, lacing her fingers through my free hand.

“We’ll get something sorted,” I hear myself say, but all of my attention is focused on the gorgeous woman sat beside me. She sits up straight, dried eyed, smiling softly at me.

Stu wishes me another goodbye before he clicks off, leaving me in silence.

My heart thumps against my ribcage.

I swallow.

“Delilah—”

“I heard you,” she says, eyes bouncing between mine. “I heard what you we’re saying on the phone.”

“My statement?”

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